Can we build new settlements at scale without sacrificing quality? England’s recent record is not good, but Ebbsfleet Garden City offers some important lessons. Quality and quantity need not be enemies, see: matthew-carmona.com/2026/10/… #NewTowns #UrbanDesign #Housing

As our world heats up, increasingly we are chasing the shade. Matthew Carmona's new blog discusses the value of street trees: wp.me/p8amZ7-Rf

Our 'new new towns' will succeed – or fail – based on long-term vision, design quality, and governance. My latest blog offers nine consensus principles for designing flourishing new towns: matthew-carmona.com/2026/06/…

Spain shows what happens when you invest in people-first streets: vibrant cities, stronger economies, better quality of life. My latest blog discusses why pedestrianisation matters more than ever. Read here: wp.me/p8amZ7-QG

After years of confusion, the proposed NPPF design policies mark real progress. Clearer structure and a single national design framework. Still missing: a bold national statement of ambition and dealing convincingly with highways. Matthew Carmona explains: matthew-carmona.com/2026/01/…

Planning is, and always has been, a design discipline, even if often forget it. Matthew Carmona argues the case for a new design sensibility when educating planners: matthew-carmona.com/2025/12/…

Almost half of the proposed English new towns are on the edges of existing settlements. How can we design new towns on the edge? Matthew Carmona's new blog explores how: matthew-carmona.com/2025/10/…

A personal Tribute to Terry Farrell: matthew-carmona.com/2025/09/…

Cold showers of warm baths? Practices of design review come in two forms: a top-down critique that can be likened to a cold shower, or a supportive two-way engagement, more like a warm bath. This new blog comes down in favour of warm baths: matthew-carmona.com/2025/07/…

Policy on design codes has shifted, but the value of site-specific codes have not. The Earls Court Design Code offers an exemplar, Matthew Carmona explains why: matthew-carmona.com/2025/04/…

By learning from projects that have succeeded, we can tackle inequality in housing design quality. New research shows how: matthew-carmona.com/2025/02/…

In too many disadvantaged areas, new housing is of a substandard quality. New Place Alliance research illustrates ten routes to tackle this inequality in quality: matthew-carmona.com/2025/02/…

Join us on the 11th February, 13.00-14.00, for the online launch of Tackling Inequality in Housing Design Quality from the Place Alliance, supported by Civic Voice, TCPA and Urban Design Group. Link to register for the event: eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-high-…

Indonesian cities are places of diversity and contrast. Matthew Carmona sees all seven types of urban design: wp.me/p8amZ7-LK

With the demise of the Office for Place, what's next? Matthew Carmona explores the shifting sands of Englands national leadership on design: wp.me/p8amZ7-Mb

How many types of urban design are there? Matthew Carmona conceptualises six types plus a seventh - none - see new blog: wp.me/p8amZ7-LK

Revising the NPPF, Matthew Carmona proposes a more radical edit to bring clarity to the design paragraphs: matthew-carmona.com/2024/08/…

Embrace urban data but beware, we need to see and feel places to truly understand them - new blog from Matthew Carmona: matthew-carmona.com/2024/05/…